Something to Look Forward To: EAST SIDE ACCESS

Grand Central signage, lower level.

Some good news, for a change. The East Side Access project ‒ the new eight-track terminal beneath Grand Central that will bring the Long Island Railroad to Midtown East ‒ is well underway. Far enough along, in fact, for Grand Central to be publicizing its arrival, as pictured above. [The gate is real, the rest of the image a clever photo mural.]

The idea of a Grand Central LIRR stop has been in the air since the 1960s; construction of this $11.1 billion project commenced in 2007. Opening dates are always hard to pin down, but it's sooner than you might think. Last month, the MTA estimated the date as December, 2022. Or thereabouts.

In addition to make traveling to Long Island steps away for Tudor Citizens, East Side Access will also connect with the AirTrain at JFK, a faster and classier alternative to the subway.

Tunnels under construction 100 feet beneath Grand Central. 

Photo by Patrick Cashin, staff photographer for the MTA.